Beyond the prescription: Eating your way to better community nutrition

Last 20 November 2025, the Dr Rosita G Leong Primary Healthcare Hub had its 5th installment of the primary healthcare webinar series entitled “Beyond the Prescription: Eating Your Way to Better Community Nutrition.” Dr Ambroso “BJ” Jumangit III, a culinary medicine and lifestyle medicine expert and practitioner shared his experience in Mindoro, and his expertise with participants from different health professions, including medical students and general physicians. 

Dr Jumangit outlined a community-based culinary medicine program designed to empower schools and communities by integrating cooking, nutrition, and medical knowledge. Culinary Medicine is the art and science of integrating cooking and nutrition with medical knowledge to empower communities to make evidence-based dietary changes that prevent and manage disease. 

Key Learnings and Program Implementation 

1. The Rationale for Culinary Medicine The core learning is that Culinary Medicine goes beyond traditional medical advice by focusing on practical, food-centric skills to improve health. The recognized benefits include: 

• Reduced risk of chronic diseases
• Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Improved health literacy and cooking skills
• Strengthened community resilience and food security 

2. The Value of a Community-Based Approach 

The program emphasizes a community-based approach because it is effective in reaching underserved populations and promotes food equity and access. Furthermore, it supports culturally appropriate nutrition interventions and utilizes local food systems. 

3. The Healthy CHeF Program Model 

The practical application of these lessons is seen in the Healthy CHeF Program, a community-based culinary medicine program for School Canteen Managers in the Department of Education (DepEd) Calapan City Division.

• Targeted Issue: The program aims to address both under- and over-nutrition issues among elementary and high school learners in Calapan city.
• Key Partners: The program is a tri-party effort involving DepEd Calapan City (recipient, administrative support), Mindoro State University (MinSU) (technical partner, facility provider), and Healthspan Solutions OPC (technical partner, grant management).
• DepEd Goals: The program helps the DepEd Calapan City Division improve the uptake of Gulayan sa Paaralan (school gardens) and enhance compliance with DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2017, which sets guidelines on healthy food and beverage choices in schools. The ultimate goal is to improve learners' nutritional status. 

4. Core Components of the Program and Training Lessons The program's structure highlights specific elements critical for success: 

• Community Engagement and Needs Assessment
• Culinary Medicine Workshops
• Nutrition Education (focused on Whole Food, Plant-Based or WFPB Diet)
• Hands-on Cooking Skills
• Integration with Healthcare Providers
• Sustainable Food Access (e.g., Gardens, Markets) 

Projects like the Canteen Managers' Training demonstrate the hands-on and educational focus, covering topics like the Canteen Manager's role in child nutrition, an introduction to lifestyle medicine, and practical healthy cooking methods and whole foods preparation. The long-term vision includes policy proposals, such as the Aksyon Calapan 360 Ordinance, to institutionalize Lifestyle Medicine and preventive health, integrating it across various city clusters (Health, Education, Agriculture, etc.). 

The lecture successfully illustrated the importance of shifting from merely prescribing dietary changes to adopting a whole-of-community approach, one that brings together families, local leaders, schools, and organizations to create an environment where healthier choices are easier and more sustainable for everyone. 

The RGL Hub continues to support ASMPH alumni in primary healthcare and to foster collaborative opportunities. For potential partnerships, interested parties may reach out to Dr TJ Malvar via rglhub@ateneo.edu.